Guest blog by: Sarah Kong

How do you hold the attention of a four, six, and eight-year-old?

Plant peas.

Susan Butler, a volunteer at Shepherd’s Corner Ecology Center, planted peas in a lidded pot with our children last fall at one of our homeschool adventure days. She told them to put it outside and plant in the spring.

My children came home, put the pot in their garden with a rock on it. As the rains, winds, and snow came, they would look out the window to check the pot. 

“Mama, Mama, please help, the pot has blown over, the rock fell off!”

This conversation occurred several times over the winter months.

Finally, spring came, and on another homeschool adventure day at Shepherd’s Corner, the children asked Susan if it was time to plant and were delighted to hear yes!

We came home and each child planted some peas. Then, we waited and watched and watched and waited and . . . the vines began to grow.

Eventually the children figured out how to stake them, pick them, and we ate them. 

Just as the children planted seeds, we are so grateful to Susan, Program Manager Miranda Land, Director Sr. Terri Schell, and the Shepherd’s Corner family for planting seeds of knowledge and love for God’s creation in our children. 

Shepherd’s Corner provides a valuable opportunity for children to unplug from the world and plug into nature and creation. That is something worth supporting.